Symone D. Sanders’s Advocacy in Political Communication and Strategy
By Michael KaranjaDec. 24 2023, Published 2:33 a.m. ET
Symone Sanders came into the limelight back in 2016 at the age of 25. She was appointed to work as the national press secretary for the Bernie Sanders presidential run. Afterward, she worked for the Democratic National Convention Committee as an organizer.
The D.C. resident is also known for her political advocacy work and passionate pursuit of social justice. She is a big supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement.
After her time on the Bernie Sanders campaign team, Symone worked as a political commentator on CNN. During that time, she was known for her ability to get under the skin of Republicans with her quick and powerful responses. In 2019, she had the opportunity to join another presidential run by joining the Biden campaign.
Her role was to act as a bridge between voting groups that were previously loyal to the Sanders campaign. Symone was able to link various groups, including Democrats, black voters, and women, with the Biden campaign. She even got the opportunity to demonstrate her support for the presidential run physically when she had to tackle a protester who attempted to get to the president on stage during a rally.
When the former vice president ascended to office, Sanders became part of Kamala Harris’s inner circle – taking up the role of Senior Advisor and Chief Spokesperson to the V.P.
Political Advocacy Efforts
Symone has a long history of acting as a political advocate.
Public Citizen
In 2014, Sanders was recruited by Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch program to work as the communications officer. The main goal of the program is to push for corporate and government accountability in global trade.
Coalition of Juvenile Justice
Before joining the Sanders campaign, Symone worked as the youth chair of the Coalition of Juvenile Justice. The job entailed advocating for the voices of young people whenever juvenile justice reform was being discussed.
Black Lives Matter
Symone Sanders is also passionate about supporting BLM. During her tenure in the Bernie Sanders campaign, she initiated contact with activists in the movement with the aim of bringing their issues to the table. Over the years, she has continued to work with the movement, highlighting their plight as an African-American with significant influence in political and governance circles.
MSNBC News Anchor
In 2022, Symone Sanders left the Biden administration for a full-time job in the media. She joined MSNBC as an anchor. In an interview with the Omaha World-Herald, she described her plan “to continue to be a reliable voice for this White House on the outside” when asked about her decision to leave the administration.
In an interview with the New York Times, Sanders was very open about what she intended to do in her next job. She declared, “Yes, I do politics, but I’m also a consumer of pop culture,” pointing to how she intended to tackle today’s political and social issues on her new platform as a news anchor.
She also explained how she intended to tap into the conversations and discussions that penetrate past Washington.